Kitsune All Grown Up
by LKHanamura
Summary: Shippo goes through how he met his mate, leading up to the present time as he waits with Koga while she has their tripplet kits. Oneshot.


Shippo sighed as he and his mate returned home. He had enjoyed himself at Koga's today. And so did his mate it seemed. "Itoushii?"

Nozomi was tired but happy to be home. She smiled a bright smile to Shippo. "I am fine. Just a little tired. Your family can be quite hyper."

Shippo flopped down on the bed of furs that they shared. "Yes I know. But, I would not want them any other way."

Nozomi smiled as she eased herself down on the bed and curled up into his arms. "Do you really think that Sora will come and help with the kits?"

"For sure. For a while I called her mama. She is like my adopted mother after all. She will consider our kits her grand children. She'll be here to help." He leaned his head down and kissed the top of her head. "In a way I wish that Kagome could be here to see them."

"You were close to her weren't you Shippo?"

"Yes. Until Koga and Sora, she and Inuyasha were like my adopted parents. Then Inuyasha turned human for Misao and Kagome mated Bankotsu of The Band Of Seven." Shippo could still remember to this day the raw pain that he felt when Kagome first found out that she was with child. It was like she forgot all about him.

But now he would not go back and change it if he could. By that happening he left to live with Koga. He had Koga as a father figure and then Sora as a mother figure. He had siblings and a family. No he would not change going to Koga for anything!

Nozomi smiled up at her mate. Four years have passes since she met Shippo, and they have been mated for two of those four years. "Do you remember the day we met Shippo?"

Shippo smiled. "Of course I do. How could I forget that day? I remember it like it was only yesterday."

BEGIN FLASHBACK:

Hakkai glared at Shippo. "Come on you lazy lop! Get it right! Didn't that mangy wolf teach you anything?"

Shippo growled back at his instructor. His uncle said that this kitsune was the best sensei that he could have. But he would do well not to insult his pack! "My pack has nothing to do with this training!"

Hakkai smiled a feral smile. "Kit you got it wrong. A kitsune mates and sires children. Sends them off and then starts again! Thinking you are part of a wolf pack. You are truly a fool."

'That bastard!' He went through his mind trying to think of something that he learned from Koga, Sora or Kaiba to use on this bastard in front of him. 'That's it!' He lunged in for a straight shot like he had before. When he blocked it he spun two times to the left, three to the right and then once to the left again and come up with the heal of his hand and connected with his chin sending him up in the air and back about ten feet.

"You would do well to remember that Koga and Sora and their pups are my pack. I may be a fox, and they wolves. But they are pack." Then he turned and stomped off toward his uncles house. His uncle was a Southern Lord and had a nice sized palace.

Once inside he flopped down and glared at his uncle. "I will not train under Hakkai anymore Uncle."

Tanaka sighed as he looked up at his nephew. He had spent the last 125 years looking for the last living child of his brother only to find him raised by a wolf pack. "Shippo he is the best instructor for your fox magic powers. Give him another chance."

Shippo glared. This may be his uncle, but he hardly knew him. The only reason why he agreed to come was so that he could find out more about his mother and father. He was so young when they were killed by The Thunder Brothers, that he didn't feel like he knew them at all.

But he was not about to sit there and take orders from his uncle like it was natural. He had been there for six years already and not learned anything new. And he was getting terribly home sick. "Look Uncle. I have known you all of six years. You don't know what I am capable of because you won't spar with me. And Hakkai is a jackass that keeps insulting my pack."

Tanaka sighed. "Shippo for the last time, they raised you, but you are a fox and they are wolves. You are not part of their pack."

Shippo was on his feet. "They are my pack. You don't have to be related to someone by blood or be the same race to be a family. Insulting those that I see as my family, and refusing to except the fact that I have been trained in my Fox Magic is insulting to me as well. If this is all I got to look forward too, then I am going home."

Tanaka jerked his head up as his nephew started to leave. "Wait Shippo you can't go back. They are not like us! You belong here!"

Shippo was not about to stay in this house for another moment. Uncle or not he was not going to sit back and let anyone talk about Koga, Sora or their pups. He would kill every last one that wanted to say that they were not pack.

Tanaka was finally able to catch up to Shippo and keep stride with his nephew. Surprised at how fast he was and not even trying. "Shippo please stop. Please stop for just a moment and hear me out!"

Shippo stopped and spun around to glare. "What Uncle. I told you that if I had to hear one more thing about me not being part of Koga's pack then I was leaving. So what is it Uncle?"

Tanaka found himself breathing hard as they stopped. "I am sorry. I am sorry Shippo for not seeing that they are your family. Being raised by them for so long they would more like family to you then we would be. But we are your real family. Would you really turn your back on us like this?"

"If turning my back on you means I won't have to hear anyone insult Koga or his mate and pups, then I would do it instantly."

Shin came upon the scene that he loved. He had wondered when Shippo would have enough of this style of life. He was strong, brave, and grounded. Shin wanted to mate him with his daughter who just came of age last year. But he had to stick around for him to do that.

Walking up to the pair he smiled. "I can settle this. Shippo I understand where you are coming from. I myself was raised by a leopard mated pair and their cub for about 50 years. Then I was reunited with my true parents. Come home and stayed here. Though they will always be a part of my family too. Stay here just a little while longer. I will teach you some techniques that they taught me."

Shippo wanted to get under his uncles skin. Leaving would not do it as much as it would going with Shin. He had heard his uncle talk about how much he hated this Kitsune. "I would love to learn what you got to teach me Shin. Lead the way." Then he followed the kitsune away from his uncle.

Tanaka just stood there starring in disbelief! Shippo had left and went with the one that he hated the most! 'I will get him for this!' Then he stormed back to his home and disappeared inside.

Shippo growled. "I can't believe that kitsune was my father's brother. I don't remember much about him, but what I do remember about him was that he was not such a bastard."

Shin smiled. He remembered Shippo's father. Kaiza. "Yes. It is hard to believe that Kaiza and Tanaka were brothers. However, you don't act much like your father yourself."

Shippo smiled. "Thank you. It must be the wolf influence. But I think that if father was still alive he would be proud about the way that I have turned out."

"I know he would kit. Welcome to my home."

Shippo followed him into his home and smiled. It looked much like the home he had when he was with Koga. "I could feel at home in this place. This den looks much like the one that I shared with Koga and his mate and pups."

Shin smiled. "I am glad that you think you will be comfortable here. I will have my daughter Nozomi show you to your room. Nozomi."

Nozomi entered and bowed to her father and his guest. "Yes father?"

"Show Shippo to his room douzo."

Nozomi looked up and gasped. She thought that Shippo was going to be some other pampered noble that Tanaka sent to stay with them. But instead she found a handsome male dressed in armor and a katana hanging at his side. "Come with me please sir."

Shippo nodded and starred. He was in total shock. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. And the last six years his uncle had been slinging them at him left and right! "Lead the way. And please, just Shippo."

Nozomi knew that she was blushing. She nodded and smiled. "Alright, Shippo. Follow me and I will show you to your room."

Shin watched as they left the room. They were attracted. Now all he had to do was push it. And that was what he was going to do!

x

Nozomi entered the bedroom that was going to be Shippo's. She turned and said, "This is where you will stay while you are with us. It is the best guest room we have. How long will you be staying with us?"

Shippo noticed how her breathing was heavy and could smell her pulse quicken. She was nervous. 'Cute.' "Thanks Nozomi. I don't know how long I am going to be staying. It depends on what all your father can teach me." He smiled as she nodded and blushed. She had the same color eyes that he had with tan/gold hair that she kept in a pony tail that hung just bellow his waist, like his.

As she started to leave she tripped over her own to feet and fell right into him. He looked down and softly asked, "Are you alright?"

Nozomi looked up into his beautiful eyes and blushed deeply. "Yes I am fine. Thank you."

END FLASHBACK:

Nozomi giggled. "I was so embarrassed that day. I had never seen anyone like you before."

"I know. I thought it was cute." He hugged her tight. "I wonder how I am going to react when males start to notice our daughter if we have one? I might kill them."

Nozomi smiled. "No. You won't kill them. You can just scare them a little."

Shippo laughed. "If Sora and Koga have anything to do with, or even the pups for that matter, if we do have a daughter she is going to be such a fighter that she might scare the males away on her own."

Nozomi smiled up at her mate. "Well then that takes care of your work huh?"

Shippo smiled as he kissed her head. "Never. I don't care how strong she is, I will kill anyone who crosses her in any way."

"Oh Shippo."

x

Shippo sat and starred up at the starry sky. Every muscle and instinct in his body telling him to run to his mate. Koga, Sora, Emiko, Mizuki and Yuriko all showed up at the four week mark to help Nozomi with her labor. Just after the moon broke the trees in front of their den. Each scream of pain made his body flinch. His youkai wanted to rush to her side and protect her. But she was not in any danger that he could protect her from!

Koga smiled. He could only imagine what he was like to tend with when Sora was in labor all four times. "Shippo, chill out."

Shippo half smiled at Koga. That was just the kind of thing that Kagome would have told him if she was here. "It is hard. I know that she will be fine with Sora, but everything inside me is screaming to rush to her."

"That is called being mated. I am sure you felt that urge to protect her even before you mated."

Shippo smiled. "Actually before we mated, it turned into my defending her honor against my uncle. Ending in his death."

Koga starred at him with a blank expression. He never knew that. But then again when they first met Nozomi and knew that she was Shippo's mate, he was in the middle of telling the story of him and Sora. "Hey, why don't you tell me about it?"

START FLACHBAKC:

Nozomi sat with Shippo by a spring that flowed close to her den. She had enjoyed the last two years more than anything else. She and Shippo had grown close and she felt like it wouldn't be long now before Shippo inquired her father about them mating. And the idea thrilled her!

Shippo saw that far off look enter her eyes. "There you go spacing out on me again."

Nozomi smiled as she hid her face. "I am sorry Shippo. Just daydreaming again."

Shippo smiled. He wanted to ask her if she would say yes to being his mate before he went to her father. He was going to do this the way that the wolf demons did and the way the fox demons did. "Nozomi, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

Shippo stood and pulled her to her feet to stand in front of him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and asked, "What would do if I asked you to become my mate?"

Nozomi jerked her head up in shock. "What did you say? This is not how things like this are done Shippo."

Shippo smiled into her eyes. "I know. I will go to your father this instant if you say that you want to. I was raised by a wolf pack remember? In the world of the wolves you don't have to go to the female's father and ask permission. It is decided between the two of them. But I will go to your father and make it official that way. First I have to know if you want me to? I don't want to go to your father, he say yes and then we are mated and you not want me."

Nozomi's head was reeling! She had not expected this! She had hoped that he wanted her to be his mate, but she did not expect him to ask what she wanted! She looked down as she searched for the words to say.

"Nozomi?" When she cast her eyes down Shippo's breath caught in his throat. He wanted to know what she wanted. This was not going to be just about him and her father deciding her future and she not having a say so in it.

Nozomi smiled brightly as she looked up at him and flung her arms up and around his neck. She whispered in his ear, "I have wanted you for a long time now Shippo. Of course I want to be your mate!"

Shippo smiled and spun around with her. When her feet touched the ground again he tipped her head back and kissed her gently. "Itoushii. Let's go to your father."

X

Tanaka had been listening to the conversation and had come up with an idea. He would go to Shin first. Her scent was already mixed with Shippo's anyway, so there would be no reason that Shin would question it. He smiled an evil smile as he rushed to Shin's house, taking a short cut that would get him there before Shippo and the tramp.

Shippo and Nozomi walked into her father's study holding hands. Shippo was going to tell Shin that he wanted to mate with his daughter if he would allow him to do so. However when he walked through the door he stopped and growled, and instinct took over as he put Nozomi behind him.

Shin stood and looked at Shippo with a even face. He did not look mad, happy or sad. There was just no emotion at all in his face or eyes. "Shippo your uncle has come to me with some news about you and my daughter."

Shippo glared at his uncle as he growled low in his chest. "What do you want here Tanaka. What do you know about us?"

Tanaka stood and pointed to his nose. "You two reek of each other. There is only one thing that you could have done to smell like each other."

Nozomi gasped and looked up at her father, "Father it is a lie! We have never done anything like that. I am not a whore and Shippo has more honor and respects both myself and you too much to even try!"

Tanaka smiled an evil laugh. "Tell me Nozomi, how many others have you bedded down? An unmated female, if you bed a male and then kill him or send him away, no one would know you are mated."

Shippo was suddenly in his face. He held him up with a single clawed hand by his throat, his claws digging into skin. "How dare you! You will not spread any lies that will dishonor Nozomi or her father."

Tanaka used one of his hands to strike at Shippo making him drop him and dodge his claws. "You are meant to be together though. A nothing tramp and a nothing kitsune who thinks he is part of a wolf pack!" He then turned to Nozomi who was standing half way behind her father. "Nozomi, would you consider showing me the same favors you have shown Shippo just today down by the stream?"

Shippo growled as he barreled into his uncle and making a hole in the wall. Once outside he spun around and let go of him sending him flying into a tree, making the tree break in half. "You will apologize to Nozomi! If you had any experience with a mated pair you would know that my scent would have been stronger on her if we had already mated. Use your head bastard!"

Tanaka stood and drew his sword. "Fine I admit I lied! But Shin is under my control and after I kill you, I will take her for my mate! He can't stop me and with you dead no one will dare try!"

Shippo felt the surge of anger race up his spine. The smell of her quicken pulse sent him into action. If his uncle took her for his mate it would not be one of mutual want. He would force himself on her! He was not going to have it! "Now you die Tanaka!" Then he lunged.

Nozomi stood next to her father as she watched Shippo toy with his uncle. He deserved it. Saying such absurd things. She looked up at her father, "Father it is a lie. Shippo has not touched me but to kiss me one time before we came to you. I would not have dishonored myself or you in that way. You have to believe me!"

Shin smiled at his daughter and patted her on the head like he use to when she was a tiny kit. "I know that my daughter. I wanted to see had to see how Shippo would react to someone threatening you in any way. Tanaka opened the door to that. I am going to go and find someone to fix my home." He went out through the hole and started to walk away.

Nozomi about lost her mind. "Father!"

Shin did not even look at his daughter. "Send word to me when you and Shippo have kits. I would very much like to see my grandchildren."

Nozomi smiled. "Thank you father. So much." She then turned her eyes back to the battle between her beloved and his uncle. 'Oh Shippo be careful, but kill him and end his tyranny.'

Shippo toyed with him as he worked out the best way for him to die. Then he remembered how Sora killed Yaichiro. He turned to his uncle as he charged and ducked under the wild swing and came up with his sword slicing off first one arm then down and taking off the other arm. When they hit the ground he looked around. All the kitsune and other demons that lived around them were standing there. Not knowing who all was told by him about Nozomi and himself he glared.

"Tell them that you lied about Nozomi."

"I did. But it does not matter. I will still have her in my bed. I will be her first!"

Nozomi physically shuttered on that note. Shippo was going to be her first, not him.

Shippo growled. "No I am to be her first, last and only you bastard!" Then with a single swipe of his claws he beheaded his own uncle. He walked away and dipped his hand in a bucket of water washing off the blood before he went to Nozomi.

"Itoushii?"

Nozomi barreled into him and hid her now crying face in his chest. "Oh Shippo, I was so worried. I know that he could use trickery to win a battle."

"I know. I trained at his home for six years before I came here. I knew his tricks. Where did your father go?"

Nozomi smiled up at him. "To find someone to fix the house. But he gave his permission. If you still want me?"

Shippo bore down on her mouth with a hungry possessive passion that sent her head spinning. "I will always want you Itoushii."

Nozomi starred up at him with all the stars in heaven shinning in her eyes. "Just as I will always want you."

Shippo turned and glanced back at the bloody heap that his uncle lie in. Not a setting that he wanted to set. He picked her up and jumped off. Leaving everyone looking at them like they were odd and trying to clean up the mess of Tanaka.

Shippo finally stopped under a thicket that was carpeted by a thick blanket of moss and clover. "Remember that place that I said that I wanted to show you?"

Nozomi starred around her in awe. It was beautiful! "Oh Shippo! I have never seen anything so beautiful! How did you find this?"

Shippo walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "One day when I was hunting for your father. I chased a rabbit in here and that is how I found it. Do you like it?"

Nozomi turned in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love it. I could not have found anything more beautiful than this."

"You don't have to look far."

"What do you mean?"

Soft lips descended down on hers. There was such a lazy warmth to them that she lost all logical thought and reasoning. All she wanted was to be closer to him.

Shippo intensified the kiss as he pinned her body against his. Lowering themselves to the ground he held her hands above her head and growled. "Mine."

Nozomi felt a strange sensation come over her. When he said that she was his she answered in turn. "Mine."

Shippo bore down on her mouth. He was mated. At last. 'I wonder how Koga and Sora are going to take this?'

END FLASHBACK:

Koga smiled. "I still can't imagine you killing anyone. I seen it many times and I know you can kill and show no emotion over it. But it is still not something I am use too. Even sitting here with you like this, I never thought I would see the day."

Shippo glared at his adopted father. "What is that suppose to mean Koga?"

Koga looked up at the sky. "The last time that I can remember the two of us sitting and looking up at the sky was so long ago. You were barely past my ankles. That is the Shippo I remember best when I think about you. Not the warrior who is about to become a father."

Shippo tensed. Another scream. He turned to the mouth of the cave. "How much longer. It is the middle of the night when the moon is over the trees we are sitting under. It is starting to set behind our den. The sun is going to be coming up soon."

"It shouldn't be too much longer."

x

Sora sat with Nozomi as she bore through another contraction. "I know it hurts Nozomi. But it will be all well worth it when you have your kits in your arms."

Nozomi panted as the contraction subsided. "I know Sora. I can't wait to see them. If it wasn't so painful it wouldn't be bad either."

Sora smiled. "No that would not be bad would it."

Nozomi ground her teeth together as yet another contraction ripped through her body. A small cry of pain escaped her lips. She was trying so hard not to cry out. She could feel Shippo's worry increase with ever cry or scream of pain she let out.

Sora smiled. "He will be fine and Koga will keep him at bay."

Nozomi only nodded. She still could not believe that Sora was really as nice as Shippo said that she would be. "Thank you Sora. For everything."

Sora smiled and shook her head side to side. "You don't' have to thank me for anything Nozomi. These are my grandchildren and I wouldn't dream of being anywhere else."

Nozomi smiled as the last contraction stopped. She could still remember that day not too long ago when Shippo said he wanted to take her to meet his family.

START FLASHBACK:

"You will love them Itoushii. Sora is hanyou, but the nicest being alive. She and all her pups are all fighters. I learned most of what I know about fighting from them." Shippo held his mates hand as they walked. He was not going to rush her. He had to learn to rush, he had to keep up with Koga!

Nozomi smiled. "But what can I truly expect when we arrive. I have never seen been around a wolf pack before."

Shippo stopped and gazed into her beautiful eyes. "Koga is the voice of authority. When he speaks, everyone listens. Sora is his mate and an wolf hanyoukai. She can fight as well as any demon lord as well. When she and Koga first met they sparred all day. And tied."

He turned and jumped down off the ledge that he stood on. He looked up and nodded. He caught his mate as she glided down. To him it looked like he was catching an angel that fell from the heavens. "The pups, Kosha, Mizuki, Daisuke, Seiji, Yuriko, and Emiko will be the most rowdy. We would get into the dog piles as pups and wrestle with each other."

Nozomi smiled. There was such a fondness in his eyes as he remembered the times he had with the wolf demon pack. The way he was taught to do things was different, but the one thing that was different that she liked most of all. That was his willingness to defend friends and family.

"Shippo, what will they think of me?"

Shippo turned startled eyes back to his mate. He had not expected this question to come from her. "Well, let me think. Isamu and Akira won't know what to think about either of us. They were only a few days old when I left with Tanaka."

He found a clearing and sat down on a rock and pulled her down next to him. "Koga is like a father to me. He is too damned unpredictable to think about what he might even think about doing. But he won't be mad. He might just razz me a little or try to embarrass me. Kosha won't mind one way or another. He will be friendly and treat you like pack right off the bat. Daisuke and Seiji might drool after you. Mizuki, Yuriko, and Emiko will want to know everything about how we got together."

Nozomi smiled. That didn't seem too bad. "What about Sora?"

"Sora." Shippo remembered the fighter and the mother. "She was born hanyoukai, but with the training of her brothers and father she became an equal to any demon, even demon lords in the country. To this day I won't want to ever piss her off. But she is gentle and loving at the same time. She will start acting like your mama in no time."

Nozomi smiled as they went on. She could get use to that. Her mother died soon after she was born and she never knew what a mother was like. A kitsune mates for life just like wolf and dog demons do. "That sounds wonderful."

END FLASHBACK:

And now here she was with Sora giving births to her kits. She still could not get over the fact that they were having three kits all at one time! Another contraction hit and caused a scream of pain came out of her mouth.

Sora was there in a flash checking her. It was time. "Nozomi, the next contraction I want you to push. Push with everything you have."

x

Shippo was on his feet now pacing. The last scream was one of pure pain. "Koga I have to be with her." Then he headed for the mouth of his den, only to be pulled back to the ground on his back by his hair.

Koga smiled down at the kit. "You are not going in there until we hear a babies cry. Get over it. I wasn't aloud with Sora, and I aint letting you got to Nozomi. Trust me kit, you don't want to be there."

Shippo growled as he jerked his hair away from Koga. "Yes I do Koga."

"No you don't. You were hunting with Ginta and Hakaku while Seiji and Emiko were born. I got past Kaiba to Sora. Seeing her in pain sent me over the edge. Kaiba and about then others had to drag me out. You don't want to be in there, it won't be good for you or her."

Shippo crossed his legs and arms and glared up at him. "I know Koga I know. I just can't help but worry about her."

"Push Nozomi!"

Shippo was instantly on his feet starring into the den. He could not see them, but he could hear a loud groan come from his mate, then a baby's cry. Another groan, and the second kit was born. The third groan and the last cry of a kit. Surprising Koga he raced into the cave and dropped down next to his mate. "Itoushii?"

Nozomi smiled weakly up at him. "I am fine sweetheart. Just tired."

Sora smiled at Shippo. He was a father now and all grown up. It was something that she knew would happen, but didn't think that it would happen as fast as it had. The last hundred or so years have flew by so fast.

"Shippo, Nozomi, I would like to present your children to you. Here is your first born, a son, in his father's image." Then she handed him the kit that she held.

Mizuki was next, "Your second born was a boy as well, with his mother's hair and blue eyes." She handed the kit she held to Nozomi.

Emiko was next. "The last is a girl with ice blue eyes and snow white hair."

Nozomi jerked her head up and looked at them. "Does she have a fire shaped birthmark on her left shoulder?"

Emiko checked and nodded yes.

Nozomi smiled as a stream of fresh tears rolled down her face. "My mama was a white fox with ice blue eyes. He had that same flame birthmark on her shoulder. I will name her after my mother. Asami."

Shippo nodded his approval as he starred at his daughter when Emiko handed her to his mate. He looked down at his son in his own arms. "You little one. What shall I call you?"

Nozomi smiled. "Name him after your father."'

Shippo smiled. "Yeah. Kaiza is a perfect name for my first born son."

Koga was there with his arm around his mates waist and a proud smile. "Well Shippo. You got one more name to figure out."

Nozomi starred down at her second son. She was thankful that the boys were going to be able to tell apart. Kaiza was his father made over. Her second son had her hair and blue eyes. And her daughter was her grandmother made over. "Shippo, what about Kichiro?"

Shippo smiled as he looked over at his second son. A name that means lucky son. That would be perfect! "I like it. Kichiro will be his name."

Sora smiled. "My grandchildren are Asami, Kaiza, and Kichiro. They are wonderful names for the perfect children."

Koga tugged at his mate. "We will be back inside in a few moments. Spend some time with your new family son."

Shippo looked over his shoulder at Koga. "Thanks dad."

When they left he starred down at his new family. "Itoushii, they are perfect."

Nozomi smiled at him. "We are a family now Shippo. A real family."

Shippo smiled. And he would defend his family. To the death just like his father did if he had too. He leaned over and kissed Nozomi on the side of the head. "I love you Nozomi."


End file.
